Press Release : 2010 March 23rd

Cambridge fertility device company revealing causes of infertility

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DuoFertility, the innovative home fertility reader from Cambridge-based, new technology company Cambridge Temperature Concepts (CTC) is proving an invaluable aid for women with a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The hand-held device which gives a simple visual read out of fertility for a week ahead at the touch of a button, is helping to both identify the condition in undiagnosed cases – and also provide accurate fertility forecasts for women with known PCOS who often cannot use standard hormone^?-based tests.

PCOS is a hormone imbalance disorder affecting millions of women across the UK. The condition is thought to affect as many as 15-25% of women of reproductive age, many of who are undiagnosed. Among these women 40% will experience problems with fertility. This means PCOS is placing a high (and largely undetected) burden on the NHS and having a profound effect on millions of couples. The causes of PCOS are not fully understood – but appear related to above-normal levels of three hormones -luteinising hormone (LH^?), testosterone and insulin.

If not detected PCOS often leads to additional health problems in later life, including an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. As symptoms include weight gain, depression and mood change, diagnosing PCOS as the underlying cause of infertility or other health problems can often be overlooked by doctors.

Because PCOS is usually linked to problems with ovulation^? or irregular cycles, even undiagnosed PCOS can cause couples undue worry and stress when they are trying to conceive. The hormonal imbalance means hormone-based fertility tests are often inaccurate as these tests rely on detecting luteinising hormone in the urine.

DuoFertility not only provides accurate detection of fertility for women with known PCOS, it is identifying signs of PCOS in women unaware of the underlying reason for their infertility. DuoFertility users have been able to use this knowledge to have their condition correctly diagnosed and obtain referral for specialist treatment.

Launched as recently as May 2009, DuoFertility is already being used by hundreds of women across the UK. It uses new technology to accurately predict fertile days by automatically monitoring body basal temperature (BBT^?) – and presenting up to 20,000 readings per day as a clear visual read out on a stylish hand-held reader.

Dr Oriane Chausiaux, DuoFertility’s Chief Scientific Officer, is delighted with the success in this difficult to diagnose condition, "DuoFertility helps couples identify when the woman’s most fertile times will be. With many PCOS sufferers, ovulation may not be a predictable, cyclical event – so having an accurate indication of ovulation is vital and of course, couples are greatly reassured and can make sure they’re together at the right time.”

Dr Shamus Husheer, the inventor of DuoFertility added: “DuoFertility clearly shows the break between luteal and follicular phases, even in irregular cycles. Only this week we helped a customer conceive by predicting ovulation 3 days in advance during an 80 day cycle. That’s how effective DuoFertility can be. ”